Declarations
by Buroo
Summary: Final episode to Realizations and Distractions! Jack and Clay have a rough patch and Chase and Raimundo welcome them with open arms. Story much better than summary. Explicitness not planned
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

I'm back on track with Declarations!! I re-read it, and I thought, hey this story could be interesting if you would just FINISH the stupid thing. I've decided to rewrite alot of what I didn't like about this story. This chapter is pretty similar to the original chapter one (if you've read the original version). Honestly most of the old stuff is the same, (with the exception of chapters 2, 3, and 7 but more on that later) hopefully just a little better. AND I WILL FINISH IT THIS TIME!!

Thanks for stickin' with me!

3 Buroo

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Clay leaned back, breathing heavily, before an arm grabbed him around the waist and pulled him against another body.  
Jack sighed softly, just liking the feel of the cowboy against his chest.

Clay chuckled. "You're a real softy, ya know that? Just gotta snuggle, dontcha?"  
Jack pretended to pout. "I am NOT soft! I am a villain. I… just… umm…"

He didn't really know how to finish that sentence. He shrugged and scooched himself closer to his lover. Clay smiled gently at the red head next to- well more on top of him- and amused himself by playing with a lock of Jack's hair.

"You look a lot better without those dumb goggles, ya know."

Jack lazily glanced over at Clay. "You look a lot better without that dumb hat, you know."

Clay chuckled again and peeked over Jack's shoulder at the clock that stood on the nightstand.

"Aw dangit!"

And threw himself out of the bed, hurling Jack off the other side.

"I'm later than my sister collectin' eggs at noon. I gotta go!"

Jack glared at him over the side of his bed, but still enjoyed watching Clay get dressed. "You know, that analogy didn't even make sense. And you're not so late. Stay awhile?"

He made sure to put a little whine in his voice- Clay couldn't resist when Jack pouted.  
Well, not normally.

"Jack, love, it's 9:30- I'm supposed to be back at the temple at 9:45. I have to go.

Jack grumbled, before pulling himself off the floor and grabbing a pair of pants. He glanced up at Clay- after all, the monk was _built_ and Jack loved watching him dress- and noticed his movements were slow almost thoughtful. Odd, really. He'd never thought getting dressed was something that required any sort of pondering.

"Hey Jack, you haven't seen Chase around, have you?"

Jack frowned slightly at the question. "Nah, not recently, any way…. Why? Am I not cute enough for you or something?"

Clay's thoughtful expression gratefully vanished into an adorable freckle-crinkling smile and he chuckled, grabbing Jack around the hips and quickly pecking at his neck.

"Naw, it's just Raimundo."

"Wait… what?? What does Chase have to do with that Ricky Martin wannabe?"

Clay scowled slightly at the reference, "Well I dunno, but every time that no good varmint is mention'd, Rai freaks out and gets all guilty lookin', starts tryin' to change the subject. I thought maybe… I dunno…somethin' was up. Maybe... it's stupid, but... I thought... Rai was… _seeing_… Chase… or somethin'-"

Jack nearly fell down laughing as hard as he was.

"Raimundo!? …. And …. And Chase?!?!?" Jack choked out, grinning at Clay through teary eyes, "Like Chase would ever… with Raimundo???? Ahahahahahaha!!! Chase isn't even gay!" He leaned over clutching the bed for support.

He needed that headboard after Clay kicked him softly in the stomach. It was a light kick, sure, but he was small and Clay... well... wasn't and despite Clay's care, Jack got the wind knocked out of him.

"Aw, shut up. I was jus' wonderin', is all."

"But Chase and… and… Raimundo????? God that's the absolute worst, most deluded coupling I have ever heard of… and when I say _ever _heard of, I'm including _us_."

Clay frowned at Jack and put his hat on.

"Since when are we a bad couple?"

Jack straightened quickly. "That's… that's not what I meant."

"Yeah… ok. See ya' later Jack."

And Clay walked out the door. No good-bye kiss or anything.

Jack slammed his head against the wall.

"That-was-the-most-idiotic-thing-you-have-ever-said." Jack said in between each pound. He leaned back rubbing his forehead.

"Dammit."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes:

Oh- disclaimer, (forgot to do this last chapter)- no characters are mine, I'm only tweaking with them a little, no money is made, etc. etc.

So- Chapter two. If you've read the original version, this chapter is very different. I re-read it, and I thought it was a little bit of a stretch for Clay to break up with Jack just because of his imagination. This version is much more plausible, I feel. It's a combination of old chapter 2, 3, and 7, all rolled into one with a little extra too. I swear it's better.

Love ya'll! 3 Buroo

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Clay slumped in his chair, chin held in his hand, and scowled at the temple wall.

"…worst, most deluded couple ever…"

He snorted. He should have expected something of the sort to come up sooner or later…he wished it had come later, though…

…_worst _couple….

He shouldn't have even mentioned Chase.

Clay sighed.

He knew very well that Jack had once been absolutely head over heels for the evil master mind… but he had come to think that Chase had been pushed out by himself.

That Jack chose him over the older man.

…most deluded couple ever… including us….

"…guess not. I suppose Raimundo was right…maybe it just won't work between us…"

Clay's heart leapt into his throat but he shook his head at the thought. He was over-exaggerating everything. Jack said that he didn't mean what he said… it was just blurted out….it sure came out easily though….was Jack losing his taste for the cowboy?

No… no! He had laughed when Clay suggested Chase was gay. He had said that Chase wasn't gay… but… Jack had also said, just that morning even, that he was a villain… and villains lie… and he was laughing a bit too hard…

Clay pulled his hat off his head angrily and muttered to himself furiously, "I am bein' the most stupid paranoid jerk on this side o' the planet. Get a grip o' yourself Clay. Man up!"

An image of Chase and Jack sprawled next to each other on a bed laughing cruelly burst into Clay's head.

He shook himself violently. "stop it stop it stop it. Yer bein' _stupid_." And wiped what were definitely NOT tears from his cheeks.

Not ten feet away, Raimundo sighed and leaned his head back against the wall.

It had been three months since he had started seeing Chase, three _whole months_, and the duo still weren't making any progress in splitting the other couple apart which, of course, was the whole reason why Raimundo had gone to see the villain in the first place. And truthfully, it didn't seem like Chase really wanted to do anything about it. Whenever the wind dragon brought up Clay and Jack, Chase would just chuckle and say, "it will all work out in the end, little monk."

But it's been three months- and the 'end' was nowhere in sight. Clay was still visiting Jack every night, disappeared every weekend, and always came back happy.

Raimundo groaned.

Maybe… he should just give up on Clay… he was obviously infatuated with the red-headed… aggravating… psychopathic…goth poser… villainous-

SMACK

"Ouch!"

"Dangit!"

As Raimundo turned the corner, he had run straight into the object of his desire, Clay, who had been apparently absorbed in his own thoughts, just like Rai.

…wait… was he crying?

SUCCESS!!!!

"Hey- Clay? Are you ok?"

Clay forced a laugh out. "Yeah, buddy, I'm fine… you're not that heavy."

"What?? –Oh! Oh, you mean the walking thing… um, no, that's not what I meant. Um… are you like, crying, or something? I mean… it just looks like… umm… are you ok?"

Clay sighed shakily. "Uh, actually, no. I... uh.... it's not really that important I guess... jus' ya know... stuff."

Rai's heart stopped. It was horrible, almost villianous, to derive such hope, such pleasure from Clay's obvious heartache, but Raimundo had been spending the past three months with Chase, villain extraordinaire. Something was bound to rub off.

"Stuff?"

"Yeah."

Rai shuffled awkwardly as Clay did his best not to sniffle and tried to look manly in his sorrow.

"This... uh... this _stuff_ wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Jack, would it?"

Clay snorted. Whether it was sarcastic or sneering, or it was an excess of phlegm, Rai didn't really know, and he answered, "Am I that obvious? I feel like such a girl. Pinin' away over some stupid argument. But I mean... who's he think he is, sayin' stuff like that? Deluded my great big-" and broke off into frustrated, unintelligible mumbling.

Rai's ear's perked up. "Gosh, Clay. I'm sorry. I... I don't mean to pry.... but uh... what... what did he say?"

"It was sorta my fault... I said somethin' and he reacted like he _would._.. said somethin' stupid... said we were a 'deluded' couple."

"He said that? I can't believe he'd just come out and-"

"Well," Clay said, his ears turning slightly red, "He didn't say it in so many words..."

"Why are you so upset then? What did he say?"

"I... he... well... it's kinda real embarrassin' like... I said... I shoulda just asked you, but I mean... it's not exactly dinner conversation, ya know..."

Rai fixed his compadre with a look of desperate confusion. "What the heck do I have to do with this?"

"I..I... thought you were sleepin' with Chase."

Raimundo's world spun, his knees buckled, his blood drained from his face and he forcefully turned himself away from Clay, gulped once and made sure his voice sounded normal before he replied,

"And why would you think that?"

Clay shrugged, not looking at Raimundo probably out of embarrassment and Rai was never so grateful for lack of eye contact.

"Dunno. Stupid, huh?"

Raimundo forced a laugh. "Yeah. Stupid."

Clay tilted his head a touch to gaze thoughtfully down at Rai. "Well, anytime Chase's name was mentioned, ya'll got all nervous and looked like you were gunna puke... kinda like you do now. What's your deal?"

A brilliant, malicious plan suddenly erupted magnificently in Rai's mind. Every muscle in his face twitched as he toiled to not smirk, made sure to avoid Clay's piercing blue eyes and muttered cryptically, "I thought... something you needed to figure out yourself. Besides, if I had told you... Jack was... you wouldn't've... believed me...you seemed to really care for him you know-"

Clay looked like he'd been pummeled within an inch of his life and he hadn't even been touched. His face was pale and shocked, it looked like he was having trouble breathing and attempted to start a sentence a couple times before chocking out,

"He _is_."

"Who is?"

"Jack is."

"Jack is what?"

"He's... he's _sleepin_' with Chase. Isn't he?"

Rai didn't respond.

"_ISN"T HE_?"

Clay had never hissed before in his life. First time for everything, Rai thought. He looked up at Clay with as much false sympathy he could muster and said lowly, "Sorry man."

Clay opened his mouth, immediately shut it, opened it again, and then huskily whispered, "I gotta go."

Raimundo watched as Clay shuffled down the hall, his head hung low.

Rai knew he should be more sympathetic…he shouldn't have done what he did… he wanted the best for Clay. He wanted his cowboy to be happy. And he will be happy. Truly happy, not falsely happy like he was with Jack. He'd be happy with Rai. Wonderfully happy.

Soon. Once he broke up with Jack and got him out of his system. Soon.

Guess Chase was right… it was all working out.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes:

No character's mine, no money made, etc. etc.

This is old chapter 4, but tweaked a little and (in my opinion) better.

----------

Jack jolted out of his seat at the sharp, unmistakably Clay, knock and threw the door open.

"Hey- look, before you say anything I just want to apolo- wait… why aren't you at the temple? Are you alright? Are you crying? I- It wasn't me, right? 'cause I was just about to say I was sorry. I mean if you think Raimundo and Chase are seeing each other, despite the definite creep factor, I'm ok with you thinking that! I'll spy with you and everything- but spying is wrong of course, and I don't have any say in what you think, because only you can think what you think… if that makes any sense. It doesn't I know. Am I talking too fast? I think I am. But I can't really stop-"

"You're nervous."

"What? Yeah. Hell yeah I'm nervous. I said something really,_ utterly _moronic and I don't want to screw anything up. Between us, that is."

"Too late, really."

Jack's heart stopped.

"Wh-what? Clay... what.... what are you talking about?"

"It's not just what you said that was moronic. And you've already screwed up." He laughed humorlessly. "'Screwing' is really the source o' the problem ain't it?"

"Clay... what are you talking about? I don't- I've never... I'm. Just. D-do you want to come in?"

"No."

"Why… why not?"

Clay wasn't looking at Jack, scanning the floor instead. It looked like he was having a hard time swallowing. When he spoke his voice was husky.

"I think we need to take a break. A long one."

Some poor creature flew into Jack's mouth and fell into his stomach. Some poor, huge, spiky, metal creature. And, oh look! it brought friends. Jack felt nauseous and if he wasn't holding onto the door he probably would have fallen. He couldn't feel his knees. But he wasn't going to cry. _He wasn't going to cry. _

Step 1. Denial.

"Oh. Are- are you going somewhere? A trip? Visiting back home, maybe? Can I come? Meet your paren-"

"I'm not going anywhere."

Step 2. Stupefied acceptance.

"So this is… kind of more than… a break. Isn't it."

"Yeah, kinda is."

Clay's boots shuffled against Jack's "welcome" mat. The mat had a huge faded smiley face beaming up from the ground. Jack glared at it. Why did he ever buy that thing? When Clay left he was going to burn it.

Step 3. Righteous, burning, searing anger.

Jack choked down any tears that had slipped through his indifferent façade.

"Can I at least ask why you're dumping me so rudely? Sex not good enough?"

That was obviously the wrong thing to say. Clay's head shot up and he was _livid_.

"Don' you DARE make this about me."

"How can I _not_ make this about you?!"

"You know what you did!"

"No, actually I don't. Please enlighten me!"

They were both yelling at this point. Clay's face was bright red and he had taken a defensive stance, fists curled. Jack' knuckles were white on the door and what little color there was left in his face had fled leaving him deathly pale, almost transparent. Clay made a movement towards Jack, seemed to think better of it, and then spat through gritted teeth,

"Ask Chase. I'm sure he'd be _delighted_ ta see ya."

And with that, Clay swung around and stormed away, muttering a few choice words as he thundered down the walkway. Jack was left speechless on his front porch, clutching his door and feeling a rising urge to smash something expensive.

On the way back to his room he hurled the smiling mat into the fireplace.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes.

Not mine, no money, getting sick of Author's notes.  
Old chapters 5 and 6, almost exactly the same, combined and changed a little.

-------

Chase whistled as he poured a glass of water and crossed his hall towards his library.

Sure Raimundo was a little boring, and he certainly whined too much, but he was relatively decent company. He had a great body, did whatever Chase asked him, and no matter how many times he said "this is the last time" he always came back.

Chase chuckled sinisterly. Teens were so predictable. It was funny how Raimundo thought he had this whole situation under control... threatening to leave, telling Chase that Clay would leave Jack any time now. Funny how Raimundo thought that Chase actually needed him there. What Raimundo didn't understand was that people are replaceable.

Chase's smirk slid off his face, red hair and pale skin clouding his mind.

Most people, anyway.

At that moment, his door was thrown open.

Odd. He had just seen Raimundo two nights ago. He didn't even turn around.

"Back so soon?"

"It...It's been five months."

Chase dropped his water, the glass shattering on his stone floor. He twisted around to see Jack Spicer, self-proclaimed evil genius, standing awkwardly in his hallway, eyeing the glass shards warily.

"I-I can leave… if you want me to."

Chase made his voice as cold as possible.

"What are you doing here?"

"I kinda... wrecked all my stuff. Um… got...got any food?"

"And why did you destroy all your things?"

Jack gulped and ducked his head for an instant before straightening and saying,

"I- I can't vent my anger in a productive manner?"

"I'm well aware of this. Perhaps I should rephrase my question. What caused your destructive mood?"

"I got- I- We broke up."

Chases eyebrows flew upward. Already? That went unexpectedly well. He had thought they would stay together at least until the holidays.

"You finally achieve a relationship- how is completely beyond me- it fails miserably and you fly back to me for comfort. How typical of you."

Jack winced. Chase hid his sneer, put on a theatrical sigh and beckoned to the young man.

"Come. I'll see if I have anything that you'd eat. I will tell you right now, I do not stock pizza rolls or pop tarts."

"Really? I mean... you...I can stay for a while?"

"You're horribly pale. More so than usual. Can't have you collapsing in my hall, can I?"

Strange feelings shot into Chase's heart as Jack's face split into a huge smile.

"Thanks Chase. Sir" He added quickly as he followed Chase back to the kitchen.

"Who was she, anyway?"

"Who?"

"This young woman that caused you to destroy your house."

"Oh. It… it wasn't… You wouldn't know her."

"Hmm." Chase handed Jack a glass and motioned to the refrigerator. Jack started towards it, stopped suddenly, slammed the glass onto the counter and swung back around to face Chase.

"It wasn't a girl."

"Excuse me?"

"It was Clay. The Earth dragon from the Xiao Lin temple? He dumped me."

"You were sleeping with an enemy? A male for that matter? How did you manage to keep your pride?"

It seemed that all the emotion that had been simmering just below Jack's skin broke loose and his voice cracked.

"I didn't really care about my pride. He- He seemed to matter more."

"Why are you telling me this?" Chase said leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms, watching Jack closely.

Jack sniffed and shook his head violently. "I don't know. I- I just… wanted to tell someone. It's like I can't breathe. I can't… I can't…"

Chase knew when an opportunity was presenting itself.

He didn't let it slip away.

"Come to the library. We'll talk."

"Re-really?"

Chase allowed himself a small smile.

"Yeah."

---------

"Clay Bailey."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Jack sagged further downwards into the huge, overstuffed armchair in which he was currently moping, eye-makeup smeared from much rubbing.

"I dunno. Just… it was something about him. His looks, his talent, his drawl... you know I never wanted to be gay." He added defensively, shooting Chase a wary look.

Chase laughed. "Few people who _aren't _attracted to their own sex _wish_ to be."

Jack squinted and glared at the rows of books he was facing, scanning the collection mindlessly. His eye caught a particularly heavy one that he decided would look much better off the shelf and on top of a certain blond haired moron.

"I'm assuming that the separation was not mutual."

Why hello Monsieur Large-spiky-metal-creature-with-friends. You're back! Jack's voice was a little huskier than he would have liked.

"No."

"And he gave no particular reason for ending your bond?"

"He said I should ask you."

"Excuse me?"

"I asked him why he was throwing me so unceremoniously to the curb, he said, 'Ask Chase' and then stomped away."

Jack's eyes slid from the books to Chase suspiciously.

"You didn't have anything to do with this did-"

Chase burst into laughter.

"Don't flatter yourself. Like I have nothing better to do than destroy your personal life."

In spite of himself, Jack started to snicker. "You know, Clay came up with this story. He said that you were seeing that imbecile dragon Raimundo."

"Seeing as in…"

"As in sleeping with", Jack chortled, "Apparently whenever you were mentioned that jerk would get all nervous and guilty lookin'. Clay just assumed… how he got to that assumption is completely beyond me. I mean I told him that you didn't… uh… swing that way. But he didn't seem to-".

"It completely depends on the person."

"Wh-What?"

Chase looked at Jack calmly. "I, personally, have no specific preference when it comes to those with whom I sleep. It depends on the person. To some sexual relationships are about love...but I'm _evil._ I don't waste my time waiting to be with someone I love."

Jack sat up slowly, staring at Chase who was sitting comfortably in his chair across the room. "So… you _are_ gay?"

"I don't exclude women… I suppose it depends on my mood as much as the person."

"…But are you seeing Raimundo? I mean… Really?"

Chase tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "What would this Raimundo possibly have that could tempt me?"

"Wow. Gosh, this is awkward. I thought you were straight as a pole." Jack glanced up at Chase shyly. "Just out of curiosity… what does tempt you?"

Chases grin was predatory.

"And why would you want to know?"

Jack flushed. "N-Nevermind. It… It was a stupid question. Forget it."

Chase stood up to collect the glasses sitting on the side table. As he bent over he murmured, "Why the stutter Jack? Am I making you nervous?"

"No!"

Jack cursed silently. That probably would have been more believable if his voice hadn't cracked.

He cleared his throat and tried again.

"No! I'm not nervous."

"Aren't you?"

He was really close.

Jack was breathing too heavily.

"Noimnotnervous."

Chase's mouth- which Jack couldn't tear his eyes away from- curled into a smirk.

Chase ignored the glasses and placed his hands on the sides of Jack's chair and leaned in slightly… and Jack couldn't help but craning his neck to stare back at the man positioned over him.

"Not nervous at all?"

He was really close.

"N-no."

He was _really_ close.

"W-well… may-maybe a little."

"Hmm…"

Chase straightened, his grin widening as Jack stood up as well, helplessly following him.

"You seem to forget this Clay rather easily."

Jack blinked.

"We broke up."

Chase took a step forward, closing the gap between the two, and grabbed Jack's hips, pulling the younger man towards him.

"So you did."

And Chase kissed him.

And Jack should have pulled away.

But he didn't.

But he should have, because just forty minutes ago he was sobbing and smashing almost everything he possessed.

But Clay, Jack thought as Chase nipped down his throat, obviously didn't care for him anymore. And why should he care about Clay, after what that backstabbing S.O.B did?

And Chase kissed awfully well.

So as it was, Jack didn't object as Chase peeled off his jacket and belt.

'And Chase was right', Jack decided, panting slightly as Chase pulled away from his mouth, 'something like this isn't about love. It's about fun.'

Chase tugged on Jack's waistband. "Come."

"Where are we going?"

"My room."

Jack's stomach flipped over and he gulped audibly.

Chase grinned and leaned forward to breathe in Jack's ear,

"I've learned some tricks over the past couple of months and I'm dying to try them out."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes:

Disclaimer. Characters not mine, etc.

This chapter has a touch of old chapter 7, but the second half is brand new.

------

Raimundo approached Clay cautiously. The blond dragon was sitting, slumped forward, on the edge of the fountain, staring dully into space.

"Hey man. You ok?"

"No."

"Oh. But… will you be ok?"

"Maybe."

Rai sat down heavily next to Clay, and nervously scuffed his feet against the dirt.

"He was a jerk you know. You're better off without him."

Clay nodded listlessly.

"'Course I am…. 'just gunna take a couple six o' seven months to realize it."

He sighed shakily, took off his hat and ran fingers through blonde hair.

"I _love_ him, ya know."

Rai's head jerked towards his counterpart and eyed him with shock.

"You really love him?"

"Yeah. Yeah I do."

Raimundo felt as if someone had kicked a soccer ball into the stomach. All his optimistic thoughts of the morning, all his plans suddenly seemed to dissipate. He almost wanted to cry.

"No you don't," He said, reassuring himself as much as Clay, "It wasn't real."

Clay was silent.

Raimundo cleared his throat.

"Really. You are better off without him. There are people who care for you more than you thought he did." People like me, Clay. OPEN YOUR EYES I'M RIGHT HERE.

Clay laughed shortly, unhappily.

"I thought 'e loved me… I thought 'e loved me as much as I love him. And I... I loved him a lot. Who's gunna care for me like that?"

And Raimundo would say, "Me" and Clay would look at him with those big blue eyes, still wet from crying, and then laugh- relief abundant on his round freckly face- and say, "Gosh, yer right, Rai. Can't believe I didn' see it before." And then Raimundo would lean in and kiss Clay gently, and Clay would wrap his arms around Rai's waist and twist away for a moment saying, "Thank you", before kissing him again.

But Raimundo's voice got stuck in his throat and he said nothing.

"Ya know," Clay said bitterly, "When I ended it- when I told 'im that it was over- he didn' even seem to care. Jus' stood there. No emotion."

Clay sighed and turned slowly to Raimundo.

"Ya'll will help me get through this, right? I mean, I know ya never really liked the fact that I was seein' him… but you'll help me right? As a friend?"

Raimundo forced a smile.

"Course I will."

Clay gave him a watery smile and clapped him on the shoulder before standing up and shuffling towards (Rai assumed) his room.

This. Isn't. Good. Love. Shit.

Raimundo shifted uncomfortably on the stone ledge of the fountain. He had known what he was doing when he lied to Clay. He was completely aware of his actions and had wanted exactly what had happened to happen. He had wanted Clay to break himself from Jack, had wanted Clay to fall so Rai could be there to help him pick himself back up. Because this morning, it was just stupid teenage infatuation. Just a couple. But as of a minute and a half ago, it was so much more. It was love.

_Love. _

Dammit all this isn't good. Rai had done more than just sever ties between two teens. He had broken Clay's heart, crushed his soul. Smashed Clay's dreams of spending the rest of his life with someone he _needed_ to be with.

He cared for Clay. Knew that what he did was going to be painful, but... not like this... not this complete and utter suffering. Chase had rubbed off on him a little... but Rai couldn't destroy the life of a friend. He screwed up, and now he had to fix it.

How he was going to do that... he still had to figure that out.

His feet automatically took him to Chase's lair. Why? No idea. Maybe because that's where he had been going almost every weekend for the past months. He needed someone to talk to, or at least talk at because he knew Chase wasn't really going to care.

No. Chase would care. He cared that Clay and Jack split, because that meant Jack would be free for the taking. He would not be pleased that Rai was completely backtracking and now attempting to fuse the two back together after so wonderfully tearing them apart.

He groaned as he hiked up the mountain that lead to Chase's home. He just wasn't meant to be with Clay... Jack cared for him, he cared for Jack and who was Raimundo to say that it wasn't real. Rai paused at Chase's door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

It took much longer than usual for Chase to answer the door and when he finally did, he was not pleased.

"Back so soon? I have to be frank with you, I am otherwise occupied so you are going to have to leave."

"Chase... we have to talk."

"Unfortunately, we are doing just that. I have told you to leave. Why are you _still here_?"

Chase then started to close the door, but Rai caught it and forced it open, demanding to be heard.

"No! I'm not leaving until you hear me out. I'll stand out here and bang away until you either give up. I mean it."

"...Fine. What do you want?"

"Can I come in?"

"No."

It was obvious that Rai was trying Chase's patience.

"I did it. I broke them up. Clay and Jack-"

"I am aware of this fact."

"-but I've realiz- wait, what? It's only been... what.... four hours. How the heck can you know already?"

Chase smirked and finally opened the door entirely, turning so Rai could survey his foyer.

"Word spreads fast."

"What's _he_ doing here?"

Every muscle in Rai's body froze as he turned and his eyes followed that new, yet oh so familiar voice, up the stairs. Jack Spicer stood, hanging over the railing glaring down at Chase's visitor with malice dripping from his features. His hair was rumpled, his eyeliner was smeared, his lips were red and swollen... and he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Wh-why are _you_ here?" Rai managed to choke out. Jack snorted.

"I asked you first didn't I? And isn't it kind of obvious?"

"You... you're dating Clay. You _were_ dating Clay, anyway... you certainly move fast don't you."

"Why shouldn't I?" Jack was obviously trying to sound condescending, but his sneer was forced. "He chucked me out, without even an explanation. I owe him nothing; I am now a free agent."

"You're disgusting." Rai spat. "You get _dumped_ and you can't handle it so you go running to the first person that will take you in just to satisfy your carnal needs. You're a pig."

Chase leaned in close and whispered hotly into Rai's ear,

"You did the same thing first, my friend. And you didn't even have the excuse of being properly evicted by a loved one. And you didn't just run to anyone. You ran to the _enemy_. What does that make _you_?"

Raimundo tore himself away from Chase and gaped speechlessly at him and Jack, shuddering at the way Chase's lip curled so smugly. He shook his head, turned on his heel and fled back to the temple.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes

BRAND SPANKIN' NEW CHAPTER!!! WHOOT!

ahem. Enjoy.

-----

It had taken Raimundo forty minutes to hike to Chase's place. It took him less than twenty to run back to the temple and stop outside Clay's room. He nearly broke the sliding door in half with his frantic knocking. It slid open reluctantly.

"Rai... hey... what's... what's up? Ya'll look like ya just raced Armstrong... and beat 'im."

Felt like that too. Lungs burning, Rai could barely speak.

"We... oh god... can't... breathe... We gotta *gasp* talk."

Clay was a good guy. He always knew when something was important, when you didn't joke around. If it were Clay telling Rai that they had to talk, Raimundo would say something snarky like, 'Aren't we talking already', just to bother him. But Clay just opened his door all the way, letting Rai inside with no further questions.

"So. What's up?"

Rai collapsed on the floor and took a minute to collect himself. When he could string two sentences together without feeling dizzy, he managed,

"Jack's sleeping with Chase."

Clay's face twisted. "Yeah... thanks buddy. Ya'll ready told be that. Didn't really need the reminder."

"But he wasn't!"

"Well I'm sure there was a time when I was with Jack that he wasn't a no good cheatin' varmint, but-"

"He was _never_ a cheating varmint! God, don't you get it?"

"Absolutely not."

Rai threw his hands over his face to avoid the piercing look Clay was giving him. The Texan wasn't stupid. A little socially awkward, sure, he'd probably die in a city environment, but Raimundo was ninety-five percent positive that Clay knew exactly what Rai was trying to tell him. He was just... well... a good guy. He didn't want to believe that his best friend lied to him and caused him to loose his lover.

"I... you... I hated you for a while, you know? When I found out you were with Jack. When I found out you were in a relationship with another man. Not that I have any problem with your sexual orientation, believe me, but... it was who you were with that made me hate you. And you know what, if it had been anyone else... even if it weren't someone we've always classified as evil I'd hate you for loving another man... at least... another man that wasn't me."

There. He had said it. It wasn't a heartfelt, 'I love you! Kiss me!' movie moment... but it was all he had. He waited for Clay to say something. Anything.

He didn't. So Rai continued just to fill the silence.

"Clay... God this is hard... I was so attracted to you. I still am! but I didn't say anything because you were always unattainable. Always on the other side of the locked, barbed wire fence, always playing for the rival team. And I was... well... I wasn't happy, because I couldn't be with you, but I was content, you know? We're friends. Best friends. I could spend time with you and really enjoy myself. Sure it killed me a little on the inside that you had stuck me in the friend zone, but really what else could I do? You weren't... I mean I didn't think you would ever be attracted to anyone without breasts. And then... all of the sudden, out of nowhere, you're in a clover field eating Jack Spicer's face off, and obviously enjoying doing so. And then, every weekend, every free moment, you're with him. So I hated you. But I couldn't hate you. So I hated Jack. You were finally obtainable... but you weren't. I never gave up though... I never stopped hoping that maybe you would get tired of Jack, or he would get tired of you. And I'd be there, you know. For you. It... it never happened though. Three months, and it seemed like you two were just getting closer together... you'd never even had a fight! And then you did! And you were angry, and upset, but not upset enough to leave him, because you never would be... so I-"

"You lied."

Clay's voice reminded Raimundo horribly of Antarctica in January. Of Icicles and frost... a cracking, freezing temperature that made your teeth hurt and your fingers go numb the instant you let them out of your gloves. To say that the Earth Dragon was mad... to say that he was furious... was the largest understatement Rai had ever even thought to use. He didn't take his hand off his face, but his shoulders stiffened and he hoped he wasn't shaking. Raimundo wasn't stupid either. He knew Clay could hurt him if he really wanted to. Hurt him badly.

"...yeah. I lied. Jack had never slept with Chase... at least... not that I knew of. But... but it fit." He swallowed, braced himself, and took his hand away and sat up, looking Clay dead in the eye. It was the hardest, bravest thing he'd ever done. The instant he looked at Clay, he wanted to look away... he wanted the earth to swallow him up and spit him somewhere far far away. But not until after he told Clay... not until after he said,

"But they're together now. Really. I... I went to Chase's house, and Jack was there and he was... well it was abundantly clear what Chase had been doing before he answered the door."

"Why were ya'll at Chase's house? Why did ya'll go there to begin with?"

Rai's mouth went dry and his eyes darted to the floor. "That's not important. It doesn't matter. The point is Jack-"

"You _were,_ weren't you? It _was _you. I... I broke up with the _love o' my life_, because _you_ were _havin' sex with Chase Young_, and you lied about it."

Clay stood up and he loomed over Rai with an intensity that make Raimundo shiver.

"L-look... I'm... I'm not proud of what I did, but I thought... I thought maybe we-"

"Ya'll didn't think of 'we' Rai. You thought of _you_. There's a difference."

"But I saw him, Clay! I saw Jack _half-naked_, standing outside of Chase's bedroom!"

"When?"

"Like thirty minutes ago man!"

"Thirty minutes ago, he was single. I'd already dumped 'im. He's perfectly able ta sleep with anyone he wants ta."

Rai's mouth fell open. "You're... just going to forgive him. Just like that."

"He didn't do anythin' wrong, way I see it. Unlike someone I have the displeasure of knowin'." And without saying anything else, Clay turned on his heel, walked out of his room, and left Rai kneeling pathetically on his floor.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack stood frozen on the top of Chase's stairs as Raimundo fled (in a rather girly manner, he might add) back to his temple. Chase chuckled maliciously and turned back towards the stairs and Jack, stripping his jacket and throwing it offhandedly onto the floor.

"What the hell was that about, Chase?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't give me that. I'm not _stupid_- _why the hell was he_ _here?"_

"Looking for you, I suppose. He seemed rather upset that you were... as he believed... 'cheating' on Clay. Poor boy. Seems jealous, no?"

Chase had reached Jack and threw his arms around the younger man's waist. Or at least he _attempted_ to throw his arms around Jack's waist. Jack twisted and grabbed Chase's wrists, shoving him backwards against the stair railing. Doubled backwards over the metal bar, Chase sneered down at him lecherously.

"This is sort of kinky, isn't it Jack?"

Jack released him immediately and backed away, almost sickened. "Give me a straight answer Chase. He wasn't here looking for me. He was... _thrown_ when he saw me here. He didn't know I was visiting. He came for _you _Chase, and he made a pretty ballsy entrance, so he must have known you weren't going to kick the snot outta him." He focused a searching glare on Chase's face.

Chase crossed his arms and leaned more comfortably against the railing behind him, making sure to keep the distance between himself and Jack far enough away that Jack wouldn't be alarmed, but still close enough so that Chase could examine the bite marks he had put on Jacks lips earlier.

"You aren't going to like what I have to say."

"I don't like it so far, yeah."

"We were distracting each other."

"Beg pardon?"

Chase rolled his eyes. "Raimundo was convinced he was in love with Clay and I admit I was... lonely without your admittedly stimulating company. Raimundo believed I would help him fetch a plan to destroy the connection that you and the bumbling Southerner had. I informed him that it was hardly likely that the two of you would (forgive my bluntness) stay together long and so we merely needed something... _someone_ else to occupy our time and help us forget heartache. If only for a short while."

Jack took another step away from Chase, shaking his head slowly as if trying to clear from it the words that had just slipped from Chase's mouth, which was slowly curling into a cruel smile.

"Do my nightly pleasures truly bother you so? Maybe Raimundo wasn't the only jealous one."

"I don't give a damn who you sleep with, Chase."

"Then what's the problem?"  
Jack still looked uncomfortable. He was rubbing his arm almost furiously as though attempting to wear away a bit of the skin.

"I laughed at Clay for thinking you two were havin' at it, he stormed off and the next time I see him, he's shoving me out onto the curb. I can't help but think that the two events are related."

"I assure you, I have absolutely nothing to do with Clay's abandonment." He took a wary step towards Jack. When the red-head didn't protest, he ran his fingers through his hair and pulled him against his chest. "He left you... of his own free volition."

"But Clay said-"

"Whatever he _did_ is now irrelevant." His fingers fell from Jack's hair and traced his brow, his jaw as his thumb caressed Jack's lower lip. "You're here now. With me. That's how it's meant to be."

"_Meant to be_?"

"Really, Jack. Did you honestly think that you and that monk were truly destined to be together?"

"...Sorta. Yeah."

Chase rolled his eyes. To be young again... "Such naivety. You're evil, Jack. Or at least you try to be. Clay Bailey is a Xiaolin monk, fighting to keep the world safe for all, or something like that. How would you two survive?"

"We were doing pretty well."

"For a time."

Jack again pulled away from Chase and headed into the bedroom. Chase followed him and was more than a little disappointed as he saw Jack pulling on his shirt. Leaning against the doorframe he sourly inquired, "What, might I ask, are you doing?"  
Jack's shoulders were set and as he pulled his jacket over his shirt he replied snappishly, "I'm leaving. In the past minute and half, you've managed to insult my intelligence, my personal beliefs, and the one person I've ever cared about more than myself. You expect me to stick around for... _what_? It's hard to have steamy, passionate sex when one person is pissed at the other."

Chase blocked Jack's path as he attempted to exit the room. "And where will you go?"

Jack glared up at him. "I'm not a _hobo_ or something, Chase. I can go back to my house."

Chase reached out and gripped Jack's shoulder tightly. "Stay."

Jack angrily pushed Chase's hand off and snarled, "I'm not your _pet_ Chase! And I'm not your lackey either- just because you want something from me doesn't mean you'll get it."

"Jack-"

"God, could you be any more arrogant? Just because you're attracted to me doesn't mean the feeling's mutual. And you can't just assume it is. I. Don't. Want. To. Be. With. You." Jack laughed humorlessly at the shocked expression on Chase's face and managed to shove past the elder man into the hall.

"Not to worry, Chase. If you're lonely, there's always Raimundo."

Chase whipped around, his hand crashing into the side of Jack's face, and Jack was flung over the railing, landing heavily on the stone floor below.

Chase sauntered down the stairs, eyes fixed on the figure rolling over on the floor. "You will stay here, as I have told you to, and if that means I have to break your legs, I will do it."

Jack groaned and pushed himself off the floor, staggering a bit, and grasped the wall behind him. His shaking hand wiped the blood gushing from his nose away from his mouth. "Go to hell, Chase."

"I'm doing this for you, you know." Chase approached slowly, cautiously, not unlike a lion stalking a gazelle that's about to run. "You will want to stay with me, in time."

Jack snorted and immediately regretted it, spraying blood over his hand and Chase's floor. "Yeah, I'm sure. Being tossed over railings... breaking my nose on cement... such fun. Gosh, how would you top this at parties?" He started walking parallel to the wall, ensuring that he wasn't going to be trapped between it and Chase's chest. Chase chuckled and followed him, keeping eye contact as they slowly circled the room.

"I never tire of your humor Jack. It's one of you most winsome qualities."

"Thanks. When I think of one of _your_ 'winsome qualities', I'll tell you." He winced as he stepped, sure that his ankle had been sprained in the fall. That wasn't good- it would make running that much more difficult. Not that he could out-run Chase on _two_ good ankles... _Damn it_.

And then he realized that he had managed to make a half-circle around the room.  
His back was to the door.

Well. That helped.

And turning on his heel, he sprinted to the door, acknowledging the feral snarl from behind him, wrenched it open...  
Ran heavily into something more that a little solid and bounced back into the room he had tried so hard to escape.

Clay stood in the doorway with his fist raised to knock, and stared bewildered down at Jack sprawled on the floor.  
"What the heck are ya'll doin' down there?"


End file.
